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Microsoft plans to impose royalty fees on Taiwan-based vendors of Android handsets for using its patents in e-mail, multimedia and other functions, with Acer and Asustek Computer being targets in an actual attempt to prevent the two vendors from adopting Android and Chrome OS for their netbook and tablet PCs, according to Taiwan-based makers.

Jamie A. Watson writes: "I wrote a few days ago about Kubuntu on Netbooks. After a few days of experimentation and discovery, I'm going to continue and expand that topic to the KDE Netbook Desktop in general."

If you’re looking for Ubuntu powered netbook that is as beautiful outside as it is inside then prepare to coo over the latest ‘Starling’ netbooks to hatch from the nest of Ubuntu-dedicated hardware company System76…

Qi Hardware is now shipping its first "copyleft hardware" device, the ultra-portable Ben NanoNote. The palm-sized notebook is designed to be a hackable hardware platform for Linux developers, akin to what the Arduino board is for electronics projects.

From seemingly out of nowhere yesterday MeeGo, a Linux Foundation-approved alliance between Nokia and Intel, released v1.0 of what they’re calling the netbook user experience. Way to channel Jimi Hendrix there. So like the band with the similar name, will MeeGo blow your mind? Let’s find out…

The nice folks at ZaReason, the independent Linux OEM computer vendor, sent me their Teo tough netbook to review. This turned into a family affair as my excellent significant other Terry was charmed by the little netbook, and had to try it out. Executive summary: thumbs up.

Mark Shuttleworth and Canonical unveiled the new Ayatana work that has been happening. Unity is a new interface for Ubuntu Netbook Edition which targets the instant-on market. What does Unity look like on my netbook? Take a look.

IBM, Canonical and Simmtronics today announced they will market a low-cost, Intel Atom-based Simmtronics netbook in emerging markets. The Simmbook will be preloaded with the IBM Client for Smart Work Linux distro, based on Ubuntu Netbook Remix, and will first be made available in Africa for just $190, says IBM.

What’s holding it back is people’s love of the Microsoft operating system and that fact that it’s familiar and so on. But actually the trajectory of progress in the Linux world is very, very impressive. I think it’s only a matter of time for ARM to gain market share with or without Microsoft.